'We did not believe his version of events' - Man slapped with heavy fine after misusing his mother's blue badge in Rotherham

George Torr, Multimedia Reporter

A man who claimed he dropped off his mother at Meadowhall so he could use her blue parking badge in Rotherham has been hit with a heavy fine.

John Hopwood of Brabyns Road, Geer Cross, Hyde, Cheshire was convicted of using his mother’s badge his car in a pay and display bay on High Street, whilst his mother was not present.

Hopwood failed to turn up to Sheffield Magistrates' Court on October 4 and was hit with a 442 fine

Hopwood, 57, failed to appear when the case was heard at Sheffield Magistrates Court on October 4.

Hopwood had claimed in interview that he had dropped his mother off at Meadowhall then parked in Rotherham expecting his mother to join him having caught the bus to the town centre. He then claimed that his mother had felt unwell whilst in Meadowhall so she had gone home to Cheshire in a taxi.

Magistrates fined Hopwood a total of £442, which comprised of the £220 penalty, £200 costs and a £22 victim surcharge.

Martin Beard, Parking Services Manager for Rotherham Council, said: "Quite frankly, we simply did not believe the version of events suggested by Mr Hopwood. There were too many inconsistencies and it did not add up to a plausible account of events.”

Hopwood claimed he dropped his mother off at Meadowhall and she would be meeting up with him later in Rotherham

Coun Denise Lelliott, cabinet member for jobs and the local economy at Rotherham Council said: “Parking in Rotherham is not expensive so to use another person’s blue badge to avoid parking charges makes no sense as it can result in a conviction. If we catch drivers using blue badges without the named holder present, we will prosecute where it is in the public interest to do so.”